The Phantom Kisser
by JustAskSunKing
Summary: At Alice's annual Halloween party, someone kisses Bella every time the lights go out. The kisser is a mystery, but Bella knows who she wants it to be. Drabbly fluffy fun.
1. Chapter 1

Phantom POV

I had a plan. Well, it was really more of a "what if…" but I called it a plan. I was going to kiss Bella Swan.

I knew she liked me. I never caught her looking, but others did. I'd heard for ages how she stared at me but was too shy to speak up. Well, I'd take care of that. The party was the perfect place to catch her unaware and let her know I felt the same way.

The only thing I didn't count was on her sexy little outfit. I planned her to have her begging me by the end of the night, but the little bows on her thigh-high socks turned the game around. Didn't matter. After one kiss, she'd be whimpering.

All I had to do was sneak inside Alice's stupid haunted maze and wait for Bella. The Day-Glo necklace she'd wrapped around her ankle gave her away. As soon as she stepped around the corner, I reached for her shoulders, dragged her close, and went straight for her lips.

The first time wasn't so successful. I forgot to take her stupidly high heels into account and ended up kissing her chin. The second kiss, though… Whoa. The second kiss was amazing—her warm, soft mouth against mine for at least half a second before she pushed me away with a shriek.

So, maybe kissing her in the dark without her permission wasn't the best plan, but I was pretty sure I'd do it again if I got the chance.

oOo

So we're back with a little Halloween treat. We love you guys so much for the nice words and wonderful support! As always, special thanks to m7707 for always being there. Updates daily-sometimes more-until the big day!


	2. Chapter 2

I stumbled out of the haunted maze still wiping the drool from my chin. I was going to give Alice a piece of my mind when I saw her. Who thinks putting a bunch of randy teenagers in the dark with zero parental supervision is a good idea?

"Who just kissed me?" I yelled.

Heads turned left and right, and a few girls in the corner tittered loudly. I glared at them, but apparently I looked more ridiculous than threatening because they just laughed harder. I blamed the Little Bo Peep costume Alice and Rose had forced me into. No one would take me seriously in this get-up.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a large group of people spill out of the basement game room where Alice had set up the maze. More than a dozen boys were in the group, but I only saw one.

Edward Cullen: Alice's older brother, a college freshman with dreamboat green eyes and a heartbreaking smile. When we were in high school together, he didn't know I existed. At college, he was probably surrounded by college girls who threw themselves at his feet daily. I'd been in love with him for years, but thanks to Alice, he was totally and completely off limits.

He'd obviously heard me yelling, because his eyes were fixed on my face, something strange and unidentifiable in their depths. Was the thought of somebody kissing me so unbelievable? But then he caught me looking and flushed from the neck up before hastily turning away and melting into the crowd. Well, melting insofar as he disappeared. Considering everyone else at this party was costumed to the nines, Edward was a bit conspicuous in his khaki pants and plaid button-down shirt.

_Strange_.


	3. Chapter 3

"What's up with Edward?" I tried to keep the hysterical edge of devotion in my voice from showing.

He was strictly friend territory, if even that. Alice made her stance on the matter abundantly clear four years earlier, after we'd gone to see his band play. I had been under the impression he was in a rock band of some sort, since she'd talked nonstop about her brother's endless rehearsals. Imagine my surprise when we showed up and were subjected to "Deck the Halls" and other Christmas classics, performed by the Forks High Concert Band, in which Edward played the saxophone. My daydreams of an elusive rock-god dashed, I instead developed a crush on her slightly geeky, impeccably polite, sax-playing brother. In my opinion, Edward was better than any rock-god.

I'd spent the night under the same roof as the new object of my desire, huddled in Alice's room and giggling at the latest gossip, when she said the weirdest thing. Without any preamble, she announced, "Can you imagine you and my brother? What a freak. That would be so gross."

Since I hadn't said a word about him, I decided she must have seen something in my longing gazes. Determining there and then to keep my crush a secret, I never again gave her reason to believe I wanted Edward.

Even four years later, Alice seemed determined to keep me away from him. She stared after her brother with disdain before rolling her eyes. "Who even knows? So, who do you think kissed you? Maybe it was Mike!"

As she giggled and elbowed me playfully, I suppressed a groan. Jesus. Mike. I really hoped not, but if he'd kissed me, it would serve me right.

"I don't have a crush on Mike," I insisted sullenly.

"Right." Alice adjusted her Red Riding Hood cape with all the nonchalance of a girl who knows she looks hot. "That's why you can't take your eyes off him. He and Jess broke up last week. You should go for it."

I'd gazed in his general direction one time. Let's just say someone else had also been in that general direction.

Before I could answer, a solid form crashed against my back, sending me forward a few steps. I teetered on the stupid heels Rose and Alice had made me wear but managed to catch my balance. As the embarrassment faded, a new awareness took over.

My skin prickled, and the fine hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I tried to tamp it down, but gooseflesh erupted over my arms and across my chest.

"Sorry." A soft breath washed over my ear.

Goosebumps on top of goosebumps. I didn't dare turn.

Alice pushed her way in between Edward and me and glared up at his gorgeous face. "God, Edward. Watch where you're going. You're already ruining my party just being here."


	4. Chapter 4

Edward slinked away, but not before aiming a glare at his sister and then fixing me with another strange look.

"You don't have to be so mean to him," I mumbled. "It isn't like he's doing anything to embarrass you."

Alice arched a perfect eyebrow at me. "Excuse me? Are we talking about the same brother who showed up to my costume party looking like a J.C. Penney catalogue reject? I swear to God, if he even dares to complain about me kissing Jasper tonight—"

"If you ask me, it's a miracle you two aren't cemented together by the lips as we speak." Rose interrupted Alice's tirade, sauntering up with her hands full of punch cups. She handed one to each of us and grinned down at our tiny friend. "Seriously, Alice, have you learned how to breathe in tandem yet? Inquiring minds want to know."

"Jeez," I muttered, taking in Rose's costume for the first time since the party started. "I didn't think it was possible for a skirt to be shorter than mine, but you pulled it off."

Her mile-long legs were barely covered by her Goldilocks costume. I pulled my skirt down self-consciously and gazed balefully at her heels. They were as high as the ones I wore, but unlike me, Rose had all the grace of a gazelle on the Serengeti.

"How do you even stand up in those?"

"She puts her feet flat on the floor and balances. You should try it sometime." Emmett, Rose's boyfriend and Alice and Edward's youngest brother, came up behind her and hooked one long arm around her waist. He was decked out in the best bear costume the Port Angeles Costume Supply had to offer, except for the ears, which had been discarded near the punch bowl.

I put my cup to my lips without thinking, only to spit it out immediately. "Emmett! What did you do to the punch?"

oOo

The Alice hate makes us a little sad. They're just brother and sister, guys. It's typical behavior. Trust us; they love each other.


	5. Chapter 5

"Lighten up, Bella." Emmett winked and slammed the contents of his cup.

When he realized the punch bowl was on the other side of the room, his face fell. The thought of my cop father catching me drunk spurred me to action, and I handed over my spiked drink without hesitation.

"Don't you dare let Edward know what's in there," Alice hissed.

"What's in where?"

He was so close, his breath stirred my hair...and my stupid bonnet. While my friends shuffled and stuttered, trying to hide the alcohol-infused beverages, I was busy freezing to the spot so I wouldn't drool on his shoes. What was it about the guy that rendered me pathetic?

"Hey!" Emmett recovered before anyone else. "It's Kenny G. What's up, bro?"

Edward's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched, but his irritation was nothing compared to the anger that followed when Emmett began thrusting his hips and humming a familiar tune while miming a saxophone solo.

I bit my lip when I recognized the song, trying hard not to giggle in Edward's face, but Emmett's crazy antics were too much. The moment he shouted, "I'm never gonna dance again, guilty feet have got no rhythm," we all lost it and doubled over in laughter. Even Edward cracked a smile and raised his hands in defeat.

"I'll go take care of the punch. And _Wham!_ did _Careless Whisper, _dickhead, not Kenny G." He backed away, his eyes on me for some reason, and left us alone again.

Alice was having none of that. She took off across the room after him, shouting and tossing her hands in the air. "Stop ruining my party. I wish you'd just stayed at college this weekend. You act all grown up, but you're just a year older than me, Edward Anthony!"

"And the drama begins." A wolf next to me spoke, and I chuckled when I recognized Jasper under all the fur.

"Never a dull moment at a Cullen party." Rosalie sighed and dragged Emmett away to dance.

"True that." Jasper nudged me and grinned lasciviously behind fake, pointed teeth. "I heard someone laid one on you in the maze."

"Ugh. Dick." Just the memory made my blood boil.

"You don't know who it was?"

"Nah. It was really dark. Whoever it was didn't stick around after I started shouting, either."

"Well—" Jasper reached across me and snagged a cup of punch from someone's hands. "—you should watch how everyone acts around you. Whoever did it will probably act really weird. Have you noticed anyone staring at you? Maybe getting closer than usual even when the lights are on?"

I shook my head, but my heart was screaming otherwise. Someone had. Someone had done all those things.

_Edward_.


	6. Chapter 6

I was hyperalert after my conversation with Jasper. While my friends went off to dance and Edward disappeared yet again, I couldn't settle down. What if Edward was the one who had kissed me?

I tried to remember how it felt, but I had been completely unprepared for the lips that bumped awkwardly into mine, first my chin and then my mouth. Childishly, I guess I'd thought if Edward and I ever kissed, my bones would melt and my skin would tingle, and I would just know how right it was.

I wasn't banking on a sloppily given kiss in a dark, noisy room.

"Bella, get out here! We're about to start the black lights!"

Alice's voice carried across all the ruckus in the front room, and the lights went out a few seconds later. Sighing heavily, I groped my way out of the kitchen and past the furniture we had pushed against the walls earlier in the day.

A few strategic black lights flashed periodically, but other than that the room was dark. The bass vibrated up through my toes. Finding my friends in the inky blackness would be impossible, so I gave myself over to the music, swinging my arms and hips and bumping into indistinct bodies.

Maybe Edward would come and dance with me. I grinned and closed my eyes, surrendering to the dark.


	7. Chapter 7

Phantom POV

Waiting until the lights go down to kiss Bella Swan? Jesus, what a great idea. And Alice planned a million things without light, which made my chances much easier. The Disco in the Dark seemed the perfect shot, so I waited for the music to start with sweating hands and shaking knees.

Bass trembled the walls as the room dimmed. The glow-in-the-dark band around her ankle called me like a homing beacon. No one else had one. Finding her was easy.

I slipped through the crowd of writhing bodies, praying she wouldn't choose a partner before I could claim her. My eyes remained trained on the floor, watching her glowing band as I approached. She was alone.

I smoothed a trembling hand over her hip and the other around the back of her neck. She allowed the closeness, leaned into my touch, and danced to the beat in the dark. I wanted to whisper my name, let her know who was about to steal her breath, but I didn't. My courage fled.

With barely a shred of bravery left, I tugged at the silky strands of her hair and covered her mouth with mine.

Just one moment. One moment was all I had, but it was enough. Bella Swan owned me.

And then she screamed again.


	8. Chapter 8

"What the fuck?" I shrieked.

Lights went up and everyone stared in my direction. I looked around quickly for the guy who'd just groped me, but the closest person was Jessica Stanley, dressed as a slutty she-devil. In other words, she wasn't wearing a costume. If I'd been into girls even a little, I still wouldn't have considered her. Besides, the person pressed against me in the dark had definitely been a guy. I should have felt around for a costume, but that probably would have just encouraged the pervert.

Unless that pervert was Edward, in which case groping would have been welcome. Without knowing for sure, the blanket term would have to suffice.

"Nice costume, Bella." Jessica ran her gaze up and down my Bo Peep disaster. "How cute that you and your friends went with a theme. Goldilocks and the bear, Red Riding Hood and the wolf, Bo Peep and... Uh-oh."

She smirked and covered her mouth with a manicured hand. "No partner, Bella? That's just sad. Is that why you keep molesting guys in the dark?"

"Shut it, Stanley. Little Bo Peep lost her sheep, remember? I heard you lost your sheep last week, too. Maybe I'll find yours and keep it instead."

We both glanced across the room to where a newly single Mike Newton stared at us with his jaw hanging open.

"You keep your hands off," she hissed. Her talons clenched into fists, but she wasn't stupid enough to start a fight at my best friend's party.

"Hey." I showed my palms in surrender and backed away. "I won't touch him unless he touches me first. Maybe he's the one kissing me when the lights go out."

"You wish. Everyone knows you've had the hots for him since freshman year. Try all you want. He'll be mine again by the end of the night."

"Better snap him back up before Alice turns the lights out again."

Jessica huffed and stomped off, headed in Mike's direction. His eyes grew wider as she approached, but I didn't stick around to watch the great reunion.

The moment I turned away, I crashed into a tall, solid, warm body, and arms wrapped around me to keep me from falling. Even before I looked up, I knew who held me.

"Mike Newton?" Edward asked, searching my eyes for an answer.

"Gross. Never in a million years. If he's the one who's been kissing me all night, I might vomit."

He stepped away, taking his warmth with him, but a smile touched the corners of his lips and lit his green eyes.

"Good to know."


	9. Chapter 9

Before I could answer to that cryptic and most intriguing response, Alice appeared at my elbow.

"Oh, my God, Edward, get your own friend. Seriously, don't you have something else to do? Like something that doesn't involve harassing my bestie all night?"

I didn't even have a chance to protest. Alice dragged me out through the kitchen and onto the back porch.

Once the cold air hit my face, I wrenched my arm away.

"Ow, Alice! What is your problem?"

"Don't pretend with me." Her eyes, so like her brothers', twinkled mischievously. "I heard you and Jessica arguing. You're finally going to go for it with Mike? It's about time!"

I groaned. "I have bigger problems than Newton. Some creep keeps kissing me in the dark!"

_Maybe your brother_, I added silently.

She just rolled her eyes. "Puh-lease. It's gotta be him! He's single and ready to mingle, and everyone knows you've been hot for him for forever. Kiss him back next time, for Pete's sake."


	10. Chapter 10

Kiss him back?

Returning the kiss was only a good idea if the phantom kisser was Edward. If I got all into it, only to find out Mike Newton was the one slipping me tongue, I really would vomit. I had to consider the possibility that Edward really didn't like me that way. And if it wasn't Edward, and—please, Jesus—it wasn't Mike, I had a party full of guys to choose from.

Emmett and Jasper were way out. Even if they weren't hopelessly devoted to Rose and Alice, they were certainly scared of them. Plus, ew. That would be like kissing my brother. My gaze skimmed over the other guys at the party, starting with Tyler, the quarterback of the football team. Possible, but not really likely. He seemed confident enough to just walk up and take what he wanted with the lights on, but who really knew what went on in guys' heads? Jake was the same. As captain of the basketball team, he wasn't hurting for female company. He'd had a crush on me when we were younger, but he'd never made a secret of his feelings.

Perhaps I needed to look at the socially inept. After all, whoever it was didn't seem to realize that groping in the dark without my permission was borderline sexual assault.

_Unless it's Edward_, I told myself. Then he definitely had my permission.

Eric Yorkie was the first guy to cross my mind. As president of the chess club, he wasn't exactly known for his prowess. He was looking at me, too.

_Shit_.

I quickly cut my eyes across the room so as not to encourage him in any way. Eric was definitely a contender for Creep of the Night. So was Felix, the guy who got caught picking his nose freshman year. Poor guy had been an outcast since.

I gagged. It couldn't be Felix. No way. What the hell was he even doing at Alice's party? And staring at me!

Taking deep breaths, I tried to collect myself. They could be staring because I kept screaming every time the lights went off. Everyone was probably just waiting for me to start screeching bloody murder.

"You okay, Bella?"

And there he was again. Edward. Looking lickable in his khakis, while I was trapped in my stupid, slutty Bo Peep outfit. His gaze remained firmly on mine, taking in none of the short skirt, tall stockings, and exposed cleavage. Any other guy would be compelled to look, but not him. Not my best friend's brother. If he didn't perv when the lights were on, he certainly wouldn't kiss me in the dark.

Would he?


	11. Chapter 11

"Bella?" Edward licked his lips nervously.

Oh, right. He was talking to me. I had not been given permission to stare endlessly at him like a total creep. I smiled weakly, hoping my embarrassment didn't show.

"I'm fine. Just trying to figure out the Mystery of the Phantom Kisser."

He snorted, and I thought how unfair it was that he could be such a dork and also completely alluring. No one else could pull that off. I certainly couldn't.

"Maybe you should trade in your Bo Peep costume for Nancy Drew."

I crossed my arms over my cleavage, more aware than ever of how ridiculous I looked. "At least Nancy Drew didn't dress like Mother Goose's slutty cousin."

"True, but Nancy Drew didn't hang around my sister. Given the chance, I bet Alice would have forced her into a mini skirt."

The image was too funny, and I lost it, laughing the sort of deep belly laugh that was neither attractive nor terribly ladylike. Edward grinned.

"So, who are the suspects, Nancy Drew?"


	12. Chapter 12

Telling Edward Cullen I thought he'd kissed me absolutely would not happen, no matter how innocent and interested he seemed. To avoid answering, I shrugged and looked meaningfully over at the dance floor, where Rosalie and Emmett were one step shy of a bed and porn music.

Edward rolled his eyes and turned his back on them, giving me his full attention. "I don't need to see that stuff. That's my little brother out there."

Little in the loosest sense of the word, since Emmett dwarfed everyone in the room.

"Come on, Bella. Who do you think's been waiting 'til the lights go down to steal your kiss?" Edward leaned in, surrounding me with his scent, his warmth, his...with just him.

How did he do that? How did he make me feel like the only person in the room? We'd never really talked before, mostly because I was shy and he was awkward. And, well, Alice usually found a way to interrupt and insult her older brother. When we did manage to have a conversation, Edward acted like every word out of my mouth was the most important word he'd ever heard.

"Um..." I still couldn't tell him I thought he was doing it, even though he had invited me to.

He was begging me to.

"I don't know who it is, but I know who I hope it is."

The emerald of his eyes darkened as his lids slid lower. "Yeah? You've got someone in mind?"

_Please, God, let Edward be the kisser. Please, please, please._

Before I could answer, Alice catcalled from the doorway and the lights went out again. The warmth of his body disappeared immediately, leaving me cold and shaking with frustration.

But then he was back. Or, someone new was there. A heated body pressed against me, hands slipped down my sides to grip my hips almost painfully, and I decided not to scream.


	13. Chapter 13

Phantom POV

Honestly, I probably should have waited for her to see my face when I kissed her. All this secretive crap wasn't really my style. But something about the way she looked right before Alice hit the lights just pulled me in. She was asking for it, especially with the looks she sent my way earlier. Talk was cheap, and actions spoke louder anyway.

She smelled fantastic, and I just wanted to run my hands all over her once I was finally there, up close and personal. Instead, I satisfied myself by running my hands down her arms and pulling her in by the hips. A sexy little gasp fell from her lips, but she didn't object. Hell, she leaned right into me. Much better than the screams she treated us all to earlier.

Kissing Bella Swan wasn't like kissing other girls. She was hesitant, but still seemed hungry for it. When I released her, she whispered through the dark.

"Who are you?"

A little mystery could only help my cause at that point, and even though it wasn't my usual method with the ladies, the cloak and dagger bit was turning me on. Instead of answering, I slipped off into the crowd of dancers, confident that by the end of the night, I'd have a date lined up with Little Bo Peep herself.


	14. Chapter 14

In the span of five really disgusting seconds, I'd gone from hoping the phantom kisser was Edward to praying he wasn't. Whoever it was used so much tongue, I practically needed a bath towel to clean off.

Ew.

Stupid Alice, telling me to give it a shot and kiss him back. I'd never been more turned off in my life. To make matters worse, the lights were still out because I hadn't screamed. I had no way of knowing who stood close. Zero hints this time.

With a rolling stomach and clenched jaw, I stepped outside for some fresh air. The moon lit the yard, giving just a hint more light than inside. After my eyes adjusted to the dark, I noticed someone dressed like a ninja hiding from the festivities, too.

"Oh, hey, Eric. What's going on?"

I tried not to imagine him as the kisser—the bearer of sloppy tongue and fish lips. If he hadn't been the one to destroy the fantasy, he didn't deserve my disgust.

"Um, n-nothing," he stuttered, looking away quickly. "Just getting some air. Is everyone still dancing?"

I glared back through the door where a mass of glowing necklaces and bracelets told me, indeed, everyone was still dancing. Or making out. Or molesting some unsuspecting chick.

"Yeah. How come you're not in there?"

Eric flashed a rueful grin, and for a second, he wasn't quite the nerd I'd made him out to be. In fact, his smile made him pretty darn cute. If only he didn't hide behind mounds of crazy black hair all the time, he might have gotten lucky with some girl who liked geeks.

Like me. Only, not like me. I wasn't really a geek-lover, unless that geek was Edward. And he wasn't really a geek...at least, I didn't think so. He got a little bit of shit from his super-popular younger brother for playing saxophone instead of football. Alice was always on his case for his clothes, but I didn't see anything wrong with a musician who wore khakis. Maybe that was just me.

"I'm not really a dancer." Eric broke into my Edward thoughts.

"Uh, neither am I, but it's dark. No one can see me dancing like a spaz."

He shrugged again and scuffed at the ground with his ninja boot, or whatever it was called. "My night went south about an hour ago, so I don't really have a reason to dance in the dark. I wish I did, but..."

His words trailed off, and I felt kind of bad for him. Not bad enough to hope he was the kisser, but still pretty bad. Without thinking, I grabbed his hand and dragged him back through the door into the basement.

"Come on. We'll dance like spazzes together in the dark. Just don't get handsy. And for God's sake, if you kiss me while the lights are out, I'll knock _your_ lights out."


	15. Chapter 15

Eric's hands were sweaty, and I let go as soon as it was clear he was coming in with me. At the doorway to the kitchen, I hesitated.

"Go ahead, Eric. I'll be in in a second. Gonna grab some punch."

He looked over to the punch bowl and saw Mike Newton standing there, looking suspiciously innocent. Eric rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, Bella. Punch."

I flushed at the implication, holding back all the snotty comebacks I'd thought of over the years. I was so thirsty. As long as the punch didn't give me alcohol poisoning, I would risk it. I could ignore Mike and get out fast.

"Bella, long time no see."

Or not.

"Hey, Mike." I forced myself to be casual. Please don't be the kisser. Please don't be the kisser.

"Some party. How's your night?"

I chanced a look at his face. His eyes were trained on my cleavage—no surprise—and his cheeks were a little flushed. Other than that, he gave no outward sign of being overly interested in me.

"Well, aside from the asshole who keeps molesting me in the dark, I'm having an okay time."

I watched carefully for signs of guilt. He swallowed and flicked his eyes away for a second. My gag reflex threatened to relieve me of the punch I'd just swallowed.

"Molesting you? Seems like a really douchey thing to do. Want me to round up my boys and find the creep?"

"No."

He looked me in the eye, and I relaxed. It couldn't be Mike. He may have been a lot of things, but pervert didn't make the list.

"No, but thanks for offering. Maybe just keep your ears peeled. You know, in case you hear someone talking about it?"

He smiled and nodded, and I escaped with my cup in hand.


	16. Chapter 16

"Oh, good. You're drinking finally. Having fun?" Alice appeared behind me and looked over my shoulder at my full cup.

"Yeah, actually. I'm really weirded out by whoever's kissing me, but trying to figure it out has kept me from sitting in a chair in the corner all night."

I thought back to the previous year's Halloween party, when I'd done exactly that in my stupid Catwoman costume. The look on Alice's face said she remembered the same thing. An expression of frustrated amusement flickered before she smiled.

"This costume is so much better."

I shifted uncomfortably in my heels and considered kicking them off, since the night was coming to a close anyway. "I can't wait to put my jeans back on."

"Pajamas," she corrected. "You're staying the night."

"In that case, I'll have another cup of punch."

Alice followed me back to the kitchen. I was glad for her company in case Mike was still there. She chattered away as we walked, her silly monologue lifting my spirits immensely.

"So who do you think it is?" she asked as I gulped down my second cup of punch.

I explained the strange moment outside with Eric and the conversation with Mike over the punchbowl. "I don't think it's either of them. I'm glad, too. Just the thought makes my stomach turn."

Alice stopped short, and I almost crashed into her back. Juggling was necessary to keep from spilling my punch all over her costume.

"Wait. I thought you liked Mike." Her eyes narrowed as she no doubt ran through every moment of the past four years to find proof of her theory. "You always stare at him."

"Not quite." I suppressed a shudder. "I stared in his general direction one time. You guys just assumed. And then...kept assuming."

"Huh." She stared over my head, lost in thought, for several seconds. "Huh."

And then she was gone.


	17. Chapter 17

"Alice? Alice! Where are you going?"

But she was clearly a woman on a mission, weaving through party-goers on her way to ... wherever. I sighed.

"All by yourself, beautiful Bo Peep?"

Tyler Crowley sauntered around the corner and practically pinned me to the wall. I squirmed away and resisted dumping my punch on him. I couldn't tell whether the alcohol fumes were coming from my cup or his breath.

"I was just talking to Alice. She went to the bathroom."

I had no idea where Alice was or when she was coming back, but Tyler didn't know that. He craned his neck, looking around.

"Alice? What was she, some kind of fairy or something?"

I pushed back on his chest and untangled myself from the situation. Tyler was obviously way too forward to be the kisser in the dark. He was inches away from kissing me as it was. "She's Little Red Riding Hood. Excuse me."

He wasn't deterred. "Where ya going, Bella, baby?"

"I think I see, um, hey! Jasper!"

I caught a glimpse of Jasper's shaggy wolf tail and took off running, not bothering to worry about whether I flashed my bloomers at Tyler as I ran.

Another one bites the dust.


	18. Chapter 18

With Alice gone, Rose and Emmett still going at it on the dance floor, and Tyler looming behind me, I had no choice but to follow Jasper and hope I could catch him in my stupid heels. I got all the way to the steps that led to the rest of the house before he disappeared at the top. With a glance back at the party, I took a deep breath and kicked off my shoes.

When I reached the main floor, I heard murmurs coming from the den, so I headed in that direction. I was cautious, though, wanting nothing less than to walk in on Alice and Jasper sucking face. The tension eased when I realized Edward was the one talking, but then it returned with a vengeance.

"...never do anything to hurt her, Alice. You know that."

Hurt who?

I moved closer, straining to hear more.

"I thought she was into Mike, Bub. That's why I told you to stay away. But maybe..."

"I don't know. How am I supposed to tell her? I spent four years thinking she liked Mike, too, but now—"

"She doesn't at all. You don't have to pine anymore. Just tell her!"

They were talking about me! Edward pined after me?

Without thinking, I pushed open the door and stepped inside. My best friend and the guy I'd been daydreaming about for four years both turned and gasped when they saw me. Alice turned bright red; Edward went stark white.

"It was you?" I couldn't decide if I was offended or overjoyed. "You're the one who kissed me?"


	19. Chapter 19

Edward and Alice started talking over each other, but I put out a hand to stop them. Their mouths closed simultaneously. It would have been funny if I hadn't been freaking out.

"Edward?"

He opened and closed his mouth several times. Then he turned to his sister.

"Do you mind, Alice?"

"I'll just..." She flapped her hands in front of her face, looking properly ashamed for once. She slipped out the door and closed it gently behind her.

Edward stared at his feet. "I wish you hadn't heard that."

"Me, too."

His head shot up and he frowned unhappily. "Really? I thought, maybe—"

I shook my head, and he fell silent again. "Edward, it's just...those kisses...they were terrible."

He let out a strangled laugh and his eyes popped out. "That's the problem?"

"I just don't think we have any chemistry," I said regretfully. "I've had a crush on you for a really long time, but I just didn't feel anything."

"You like me?" He stepped forward and took one of my hands in his.

My skin tingled, and my face got hot.

"Well, ye-yes." My face grew warmer as I stuttered through my answer. "Of course I do."

"Christ, that's good to hear. I'm crazy about you, too. But I have to tell you... I wasn't the one kissing you, Bella."


	20. Chapter 20

"Y-you weren't?" I mentally cursed the stutter.

Of course I'd trip over my words when my dream guy announces his crush on me. Of course I would.

He took a deep breath. "No. But I'd like to. Bella, I can't tell you how many times I've thought about kissing you. Four years of wanting to kiss you. Sometimes it was hard to be in the same room without grabbing you. But I'd never, ever do something without asking first. Not without giving you the choice, too."

Four years of frustration. Jesus, that sounded familiar. While I'd been daydreaming about crawling into his lap and sucking on his earlobe, he'd been fantasizing about pushing me against a wall and kissing my brains out. At least, that's what I hoped his fantasies had been like. Maybe more...maybe less. Hopefully more.

I scrubbed my face, forgetting about the makeup Alice had spent an hour applying. "So ask."

"What?" Edward's jaw dropped, giving me a glimpse of his smooth, pink tongue and straight, white teeth.

"Ask me. Give me the choice."

His arm snaked around my waist and pulled me closer, until there wasn't a breath of space between us. I met his gaze, dark and filled with a hunger I never thought I'd get a chance to see. His free hand tucked a lock of hair behind my ear as he bit his bottom lip and smiled. Holy shit, what that grin did to me. Without even speaking, he'd rendered me useless, warmth curling through my belly and all feeling absent in my knees.

"Bella, can I kiss you, please? Can I have one chance to show you how much chemistry we have?"

What the hell was I thinking, no chemistry? The air around us crackled with energy, as blood surged and roared through my veins. Our lips hadn't touched, and it was still the best kiss I'd ever had. I nodded, unable to speak.

And then...then he did press his mouth against mine. Gently at first, with only a hint of pressure. Touching, testing, tasting. He drew in a deep breath as he pulled away, held me tightly to his chest as my legs trembled and threatened to collapse. Then, with something between a moan and a whimper, his lips covered mine again.

I couldn't breathe. Every part of my brain focused on the way his teeth nibbled gently at my lower lip, the way his tongue swept over mine once, twice, before delving deep inside in my mouth. Fingers clutched, hips pressed... Christ, the man is going to kill me.

His hands smoothed over my back to cup the nape of my neck, turning my head to give better access. I rose on my toes, reaching and straining, ready to climb him and wrap my legs around his waist.

"Before you get too mad, Bella, I think you should—" Alice stopped at the door, eyes wide and mouth in a pretty O, and watched as I disentangled myself from her brother.

Heat still surged through me, settling quickly in my cheeks, and I stared at the floor to avoid what I was sure would be disgust in her expression. Edward handled her interruption much better. He curled his fingers around my hips and pulled me back into his embrace.

"Oh." Alice stared.

I stared.

Edward laughed.

"Um, I was just going to say that you shouldn't get mad at him." She couldn't take her eyes off Edward's hands on my hips. "He really likes you."

"I know."

"And I think you guys would be perfect together."

"I know."


	21. Chapter 21

Through my lust-fogged haze, a thought occurred to me.

"If you didn't kiss me, who did?"

The happy smile fled Edward's face, and he glowered. "You aren't the only one who's been playing detective, Nancy Drew. I have a few suspects of my own, and I think we should go talk to them."

"Them?" I squeaked.

Edward's warm hand left my hip and grasped my arm. Then he pulled me down the hallway toward the front room where the party still raged. Alice trailed after us, clearly not sure whether to be worried or intrigued.

To my great embarrassment, Edward tugged me to a stop right in front of a spastically dancing Eric Yorkie. He cleared his throat loudly, and when Eric looked up and saw us standing there, the speed with which he stopped flailing was hilarious.

"Uh, hey guys." His eyes darted from me to Edward to Alice and back to me. "What's up?"

"Did you kiss Bella tonight?"

I gaped at Edward. He really wasn't beating around the bush! Eric flushed.

"Uh, well, I...uh..."

Edward stepped in front of me and pulled himself up to his full height. He looked a little scary, but also kind of—okay, really very—hot.

"Ye-es." Eric sort of hiccup-squeaked his response, and I stared in open-mouthed astonishment.

"All that time it was you?"

"Yes—I mean, no! I only kissed you the one time, I swear! It must have been someone else those other times!"

I groaned. Just my luck that Edward hadn't been the one kissing me in the dark, but there was also more than one perp. At least Eric Yorkie was pretty much scraping the bottom of the barrel. It really couldn't get much worse.

Or could it?


	22. Chapter 22

"I heard you scream that someone had kissed you in the maze, and...well, I thought it was a good idea."

Edward's fists clenched and released, clenched and released. "You thought touching a girl without her knowledge or permission was a good idea?"

"Um, no. I definitely did not think it was a good idea." Eric shook his head violently, his eyes first on me and then on Edward.

An apology existed there in the depths, but I didn't have time to accept it. Eric bolted for the back door and scrambled onto the patio, leaving all of us stunned in his wake.

"So, there's another kisser." Edward grabbed my hand and pulled me along to the kitchen. "I was afraid of this."

"What?" Alice and I both screeched at the same time.

He didn't answer. Instead, he stopped in front of the nearly empty punchbowl and glared at Mike Newton, who was draining the last of the orange drink into a cup.

"Did you kiss Bella tonight?"

Again, Edward didn't make small talk. Mike looked up with a smirk, smug and self-assured.

"Yeah, dude. It was ep—" He froze when he saw Edward's murderous expression and nearly dropped the glass bowl. "Uh, no. No way, dude."

"Liar," Alice inserted.

"I won't knock the shit out of you if you tell the truth." Edward grimaced, obviously wishing he could take back the deal he'd just offered.

"Dude, what do you expect? She's been after me for years. I just broke up with Jess last week; Bella was all alone. Why wouldn't I?"

Before Edward could give his speech about respecting boundaries, I jumped in with clarification. "I was not after you. Never was, never will be. Gross."

Mike's worried frown disappeared, and he flashed a cocky grin. "Yeah, you have. I heard you stared at me all the time."

"I was staring at him, you freak." I hooked a thumb over my shoulder at Edward.

His victorious expression crumbled. "Oh. Well, that's okay. Jess and I are back together. She'll forgive me for one little kiss."

Alice, Edward, and I all whipped our heads around, eyes wide as we digested his words. Then, at the same time, we shouted.

"One?"


	23. Chapter 23

"You've got to be kidding me." My hands were shaking. Not one, not two, but three separate kissers. How was it possible that I had gone this many years without a date if so many guys apparently wanted to kiss me?

Edward grimaced. "Unbelievable. Mike was my last guess. Where do we go from here?"

Clearly relieved to be off the hook, Mike sidled away, skirting the edge of the crowd until he found an opening and disappeared.

Alice looked around the crowded room, and a decisive expression crossed her face. She clambered up onto the kitchen counter and put two fingers in her mouth before issuing a long, shrill whistle. The music, the dancing, and the loud conversation screeched to a halt.

"Listen up!" Her soprano voice boomed out over the listening partiers.

"No, no, please don't," I whispered. Edward reached out and grabbed my hand, smiling a little at my mortification.

"Somebody kissed my friend Bella Swan earlier. Wave, Bella."

I raised my hand to shoulder height before turning to bury my face in Edward's chest. His comforting scent calmed me. He would have to leave me a shirt to cuddle with while he was away at school. The thought almost made me laugh. I was a fool for the boy already, and we had barely even gotten together.

"We already know about Newton and Yorkie."

There was a distinctive shriek from the other room, and Jessica Stanley yelled, "You kissed Bella?"

"Step up, dude." Alice continued as if there had been no interruption. "Seriously, not cool."

"What's the big deal? I was going to ask her out later."

Edward stiffened in my arms, and I whirled around in surprise. "Tyler?"

The handsome QB laughed. "Yeah. Guess I should have been a little more obvious, huh? I just thought, with all the kissing going on...why not? Plus, you're hot. I'm hot. It makes sense."

"What makes sense is being sure you have the girl's consent first," Edward growled.

Tyler put his hands up and backed away. "Sorry, man. I didn't know she was taken."


	24. Chapter 24

Edward looked down at me, his face registering panic but his eyes showing hope. He thought it was too soon to call me his, but if his expression was anything to go by, God, he wanted to.

How could he still not know? I'd been his for four years. The big question for me was whether he was mine. But I didn't even need to ask. Instead, I gave him a short, quick, very meaningful nod and basked in the change in his smile. From uncertain and inquisitive to knowing and blissful, his grin made my stomach drop in the most pleasant of ways. How could one person make me so giddy?

"She is," he announced, pulling me closer.

"Eh, you're four hours away most of the time. You can't always keep your eye on her." Tyler tried one last time to stake some sort of claim.

"I can." Emmett, Edward's little brother, towered over the star football player with a smug smirk. "I got your back, Kenny G. No one touches her unless she asks for it."

"And I won't ask for it," I hastened to add. "Ever. Also, you should check your technique before attacking any more unsuspecting girls, because _ew_. Eric Yorkie has you beat with kissing skill."

Edward's arm tightened on my waist, and I glanced up to see him glaring in Yorkie's direction. I squeezed him back until I got his attention and then mouthed the words _no one beats you_.

"Now, if everyone would kindly keep their hands and lips off Bella, except for Edward, of course, we can go back to partying!" Alice cued Jasper at the stereo with a flourish and then hopped down from the countertop.

She gave each of us a quick hug and pretended to polish her fingernails on her cape. "There. Mystery solved."


	25. Chapter 25

I let out a deep sigh of relief. "Excuse me for a second."

Edward looked highly reluctant, so I used my newly acquired kissing privileges to reassure him that I wouldn't be gone long. Feeling the sheer ecstasy of his lips on mine made it difficult to pull away.

"Just one second," he said softly. "Then I'm coming after you."

I practically sprinted to Alice's room to get my pajamas and take off my stupid heels and bonnet. If I never saw another pair of bloomers, it would be too soon. I didn't care that the party wasn't over, I didn't care that the house was still half full of people, and I really didn't care that Alice was going to pout when she saw I'd discarded Bo Peep.

Yoga pants never felt so good.

When I descended back into the kitchen, Edward looked up, and his face melted into a breathtaking smile. My stomach bubbled with giddiness, and I had to stop myself from running across the room and tackling him. I settled for casually approaching and leaning up against the counter where he sat.

"You changed out of your costume."

I looked down at my faded Forks High Phys. Ed. shirt and shrugged. "I didn't want to be Little Bo Peep anymore."

"But I liked that costume." He pouted, sticking out his full bottom lip. "I really, really liked it."

I stepped between his knees and reached up to put my hands on his shoulders. "I put on a new costume instead."

He snorted. "What are you? A high school student at a sleepover?"

"Nope. I'm Edward Cullen's girlfriend."

His answering smile was dazzling. My breath caught in my chest as he leaned forward and gave me a soft, sweet kiss.

"I changed my mind. I like this costume much more. You shouldn't ever take it off."

oOo

We hope you enjoyed our Halloween treat, though there were a few tricks in there, too. Thank you so much for reading along. We've had so much fun writing together and sharing with you. Until next time! -SK

Thanks for joining us on our foray into the mystery whodunit genre of fluff! It was great having you along for the ride, and your guesses made it all so much fun. You guys are the best! -justaskalice


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